Siem Reap, Cambodia

The last vacation we took as a family centered solely upon beach relaxation, fun in the sun, and the comforts of a resort.  On this vacation we enjoyed staying at boutique accommodations and our first stop was exploring history in Siem reap, Cambodia.  What better way to travel but with our own private tour guide as well!  Siem Riep is home of many UNESCO Heritage sites, Angkor Wat, and Cambodian culture.  Thus we had lots to see and do!

Day One
After our morning arrival into Siem Reap we began our journey on a boat ride within Tonle Sap Lake to view the floating village.  We took a traditional wooden boat on the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.  The lake is home to people living in floating villages who make their living by fishing on the local waters.

Next we stopped at Artisans Angkor to learn about traditional Cambodian skills in making silk, stone and wood carving, lacquering, and painting.  What is even more inspiring is that the company was to help young rural people find work near home villages.  Of course we bought some beautiful artwork to remember our visit to Cambodia.  

Our next stop was to see Ya-Tep Shrine.  What is unique about this shrine is that it is built right in the middle of a major road passing through Siem Reap, so the road actually splits to go around it.  Ya-Tep spirit is believed to bring good fortune to people.

Although Ya-Tep is a stand alone shrine it is located between the Royal Residence and Preah Ang Chek Preah Ang Chorm shrine.  This shrine is dedicated to two Buddha's as the name suggest.  Local Cambodian people believe that this shrine provides protection to the town of Siem Reap.  It is also believed to bring good luck to newlywed couples.  

To conclude our first day we spent some time poolside at the resort and then to see a Khmer (predominant ethic group in Cambodia) dinner show.

Day 2

This day was certainly a day of UNESCO Heritage Site discovery and exploring the temples with Angkor, Siem Reap.  First we stopped at Ta Prohm, where the temple has been left in relatively the same condition as it was found.  The temple originates back to 1186 A.D where Jayavarman VII constructed the temple in honor of his family.  The temple was home to 12.5K people and 800K people in surrounding villages.  Interestingly the temple was used in the film Tomb Raider.   

Next we headed to Angkor Thom established in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII as the capital city of the Khmer Empire.  Angkor Thom is an inner royal city built in the 12th century an is known for the temple grounds and famous South Gate.  The South Gate serves as the entrance to Angkor Thom.  The road through the gate leads to Bayon at the center of the city.

At the center of the city is Jayavarman's state temple Bayon.  This was built in the late 12th century with a distinctive feature of multitude of massive stone faces.

Next we headed northwest of Bayon to Baphuon Temple, built in the mid-11th century.  This is a three tiered temple mountain built as the state temple of Udayadityavarman II dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva.

From here we journeyed to see the Terrace of the Elephants, this is part of the walled city of Ankor Thom.  The terrace was used by Ankor King Jayavarman VII as a platform to view his victorious returning Army and it was used for public ceremonies .  The terrace is named for the carving of elephants on it's eastern face. 

Next on the list was a stop at the famous Angkor Wat!  First a Hindu Temple and then subsequently a Buddhist Temple is the largest religious monument in the world! The temple was built by Khmer King Suryavarman in the early 12th century.  This has become the symbol of Cambodia appearing on the national flag.

What would a trip to Angkor be without an elephant ride!  We climb up on a pair of elephants and began to explore further.  First we passed Prasat Bei temple.  This is just south of the moat arounf Angkor Thom and is a 10th century Hindu temple built by King Yasovarman I, it's names translate to "three towers".  Each of the three towers is dedicated to the three most import Hindu Gods; Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva.

Next we passed Baksei Chamkrong which is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Finally after a long day of exploring we had one last stop within Angkor at Phnom Bakheng, a Hindu Temple built at the end of the 9th century.  It is located on the top of a hill, so the hike was long but the views were great!

On the ride back to the resort we made one last stop which we felt was important.  We stopped at Wat Thamey which is home to Siem Riep's Killing Field Memorial.  This place is notable for being one of the killing fields during the Khmer Rouge regime in the country ruling from 1975 to 1979 and responsible for one of the worlds worst mass killings in the 20th century.  Under the communist leadership of Pol Pot millions were forced to leave the city and work on farms in the countryside as cities were viewed as steps towards capitalism.  Many died in labor camps from disease, exhaustion, and forced labor.

Day 3

We began the day by exploring Kbal Spean which is an archaeological site in the Kulen Hills along the Stung Kbal Spean River.  In order to view the stone carvings in the river banks and beds which the site in known for we had to hike a long distance up the mountain.  Once we reached the river and the waterfalls, we saw many stone carvings which depict Hindu scenes and symbols.  The area is often referred to as the "Valley of 1,000 Lingas" which are symbols of fertility that are carved in the river beds stones.

Next we traveled to Banteay Srey Temple which was built in the 10th century.  This temple is known for its intricate decoration carvings in pink sandstone.  There was a great charm to this temple due to its smaller size and elaborate carvings in the colored stone.

We then traveled to the temple Banteay Samre.  This was one of the most complete structures due to the restoration project that was undertaken at the site.  The temple was constructed around the same time as Angkor Wat and your can see the similarities in the towers.

Next we stopped at Ta Som which was a smaller temple however it was fascinating to see the numerous trees and vegetation growing within the ruins as it has not been restored which is unique in its own way.

As we ventured into the later afternoon, we decided to fit in a few last temples.  Next we stopped at Neak Pean which was built on an artificial island.  The waters were believed to have healing properties and it has some unique features in the design that has five surrounding ponds.

Our last stop of the day was to Preah Khan.  I really enjoy this temple as you could really explore by deciding what passages you wished to take.  As the sun began to set and we meandered through the ruins, it really felt like you were the first person to stumble upon the temple and left to discover.

In the evening we decided to get a sitter for the kids so Natalie and I could explore the Night Market within the city.

Day 4

So our last day in Cambodia was upon us and we had an early afternoon flight to Laos.  Thus, we decided to get a very early morning start to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat.  This was a great way to end our vacation in Siem Reap and Cooper summed it up best by stating that he really felt like an explorer.